Ford Thunderbird

The Thunderbird was a car first introduced as a roadster to rival the Chevrolet Corvette. This version came with an optional porthole behind the side windows. It also competed in GT racing. By 1959 the Thunderbird was made larger and entered in NASCAR. In the mid sixties the "T-Bird" was redesigned to be more aerodynamic and competitive. This generation is nicknamed the "Bullet Bird". In the seventies the Thunderbird became more like the Ford LTD fullsize sedan and was accompanied by the Mercury Cougar. In the late eighties the T-Bird was redesigned to be more aerodynamic, but was discontinued by the mid nineties. The Thunderbird was revived in 2002 using a retro-inspired design complete with the iconic porthole, but due to its high price did not last long. The Thunderbird competed in IMSA GTO and Trans Am in the late eighties. The revived model did not compete in motorsport. The Thunderbird was the subject of a hit song by The Beach Boys.